It Happened One Night
by drewbug
Summary: "There's an empty cabin up here, a place for hikers to stay overnight." His voice is a landslide of gravel. "I'll explain the rest when we get there. Good enough?" Nico!Whump.


**It Happened One Night**

Nicole Clevenger (March 2014)

Notes: Why I continue to pick up tiny cancelled fandoms, I'll never understand. Set early in the V3 season (before all the [spoilers] that came at the end), this is a self-indulgent Nico!Whump with only the barest scent of plot. My only for this show. I offer it up for thems that enjoys that sort of thing.

As always, I own nothing.

* * *

Three days into the V3 retreat, and Dani's still not sure if she's on vacation or a working holiday. When Poloma first told her about the week-long trip to a rented out mountain resort, her first instinct had been to decline. Better to stay at home, get some things done, maybe get the chance to see her daughter for thirty seconds or so. But Poloma had made it clear – as usual – that this scheduling in her calendar wasn't exactly optional. She was expected to attend, to be available to their clients. While relaxing and enjoying herself, of course.

But so far there have yet to be any impromptu therapy sessions out here on the edge of the woods, and if she's honest she has to admit that it has been rather serene. She's got her own cabin on the outskirts of the main building, the staff separated from the bulk of the invited population. There's plenty of familiar faces out here.

Including the one she spots immediately when she enters the main dining room this morning.

Nico's standing by the far wall, a mug of something in his hands and the customary inscrutable look on his face. She collects her own cup and a sweet looking scone from one of the buffet tables, debating if she wants to go over and say hello. She's only had a glimpse of him in the last few days, hovering as he does at the edge of spaces. She'd been surprised to see him here initially, then wondered at her wonder. It seems like Nico's _always_ around.

When exactly did that happen? When did it become normal to have this man ever lurking at the corners of her sight?

He's looking around the room, surveying the scene. When his eyes meet hers they jump away quickly, trying to act as if he hasn't seen her. Odd. Now she's _definitely_ going over, she decides.

Nico doesn't look at her when she comes up to where he's leaning, watching the room over the rim of his cup. "Doctor Santino."

It's not quite cold, his tone, but there's definitely something she's missing. "Nico," she responds in like greeting, perhaps a little more snarky than she intends. At this his glance slips sideways her way, and she doesn't think she's imagining the twitch at the corner of his mouth in acknowledgment of the exchange. Her shoulders relax, and she takes a sip of her coffee.

"Enjoying your vacation?" It's barely more than a murmur, and she almost misses it under the ambient noise in the room.

"Is that what this is?" She finds she's mimicking his posture, her gaze on the tables rather than her partner in conversation. She shrugs, takes another drink. "No crises yet, anyway."

There's a silence between them. Dani looks down at her scone, wishing she had a free hand to eat it with. The closest table is four feet away and occupied, and there's no available surface near her along the wall. If Nico doesn't want to talk to her, fine. She'll go sit down and eat her breakfast.

Instead she hears her voice, again trying to engage him. "What about you? You don't seem particularly..." Dani gestures vaguely at him with her plate "...relaxed. Are you ever _off_ duty?"

"No."

It's curt, but she can see the crinkle of a smile at the edge of his eye. She grins into her coffee, pleased to have gotten at least some kind of response. "That's not healthy, you know. Working all the time."

"Really? Then I have a friend you should talk to. A doctor. Always on call."

He's playing with her, and she feels the normal confusion of amusement and frustration welling up. "Well maybe, as a doctor, she has to be."

"I never said it was a woman."

Dani huffs, but before she can respond Nico turns away from her and sneezes, a sharp sound followed by two more in rapid succession. She finds she's taken somewhat aback by such a human mundanity from this man. "Bless you," she says reflexively, trying not to look so surprised.

"Allergies," he says, pulling a handkerchief from inside his jacket. He still won't look at her, not full on, and Dani takes another assessment. Notes the pinched forehead, the slightly reddened nose, the tension in his shoulders. She wonders if this is why he hadn't wanted her to come over. This presumed vulnerability.

It irritates her enough to make her poke at him, but her teasing is tempered with sympathy. "Big Bad Nico, taken down by Mother Nature?" He shrugs one shoulder, eyes back on the crowd as he finishes his coffee. It's plain he doesn't want to discuss it. He looks tired.

Another moment or two with no words between them, and Dani decides she's had enough. "Right. Well, _I_ am going to go enjoy my breakfast. If you'd like to join me, you're welcome." A nod, his gaze now on the inside of his empty cup. No sense that he's going to take her up on her offer. "Drink plenty of fluids, find someone with some Claritin," she says. "Take a nap."

His voice is behind her when it comes. "Thought you weren't that kind of a doctor."

"I'm not," she says over her shoulder. "I'm a mother."

* * *

"Santino!"

She looks up from her drink to see Connor headed toward her seat at the end of the bar. His infectious grin brings her answering smile. His hand is warm on her shoulder when he reaches her.

"Nice to see you mingling with the masses. Having a good time?"

Her mind jumps back to the morning yoga class, the afternoon massage. The spa-like tub in her cabin. "Mmhm," she affirms around her straw as she takes a sip. "Much better than the vacations my last boss could afford."

Connor shakes a finger in her face, but he's still grinning. "Uh-uh, Santino. This isn't a vacation, it's a retreat. We're working. Team building. Trust building. Bonding." He raises his voice, turning to face everyone and no one in the crowded room. "Aren't we bonding?"

This earns him a disjointed group cheer and a laugh from Dani. She can't help it. On the surface, Connor McClane is an undeniably charming man. She just hasn't figured out yet whether or not that charm runs all the way through.

He turns back to her. "See? That's what it's all about. The family that plays together, stays together." He spreads his arms wide, a gesture that encompasses the area surrounding them. "Besides, everyone should come to the mountains once in a while. It's peaceful out here."

There's something almost wistful about what he says, and Dani's about to take the opportunity to try and peek behind that likeable shell. But before she can ask him anything, the sound of raised voices swells on the other side of the room. Connor's head snaps up and toward the noise of rising tension, and he pauses only to shoot her a parting smile.

"Or not. Excuse me." His stride is casual, belying the speed at which he moves to stem the possible uproar. "Gentlemen, gentlemen," she can hear him saying as he crosses the room. "I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding. What are we drinking here?"

Dani turns back to face the bar again, musing about her new boss. When she has time to think in the swirling vortex that is V3, she sometimes wonders exactly what it is she's gotten herself into.

"Doctor Dani Santino?"

Her name in an unfamiliar voice grabs her attention, and she pulls her eyes away from their study of her glass. "Yes?"

She's never seen the man in front of her, though he's not exactly the most memorable face in the world. Medium height, sandy hair cut to a sociably reasonable length, pale eyes almost lost in a sea of paler skin. Dani studies him for a moment, trying to find a clue as to what he wants.

"Oh Doctor Santino," he gushes, leaning in a little too closely, "I've heard a _lot _about you."

It's quickly obvious that her new friend has had quite a lot to drink. Dani leans back a bit on her stool, trying to put a bit of distance between herself and the toxic fumes of his breath. "I'm sorry, you are...?"

He pulls away in surprise, but recovers with a shake of his head and a huge crooked smile. "Mike Kirk, from Accounting." Now he's invading her space again, and she doesn't know if she's imagining the smile's slide into leer. "They say you can fix all a man's problems."

His balance is off, and he sways in her direction. She helps him back to upright with a gentle but definite push to his chest. "Ohh-kay," she says, trying to take charge of the conversation. "I don't know what you've 'heard', but if you have something you'd like to talk to me about, I'm sure we can find some time tomorrow..."

His face falls in an instant. He's inching back toward her. "But I've got problems, big problems. And you're here, and I'm here, so why can't we just talk now?"

Dani sighs. "Look, Mr. Kirk -" "Mike." "- Mike. Unless you feel like you're a danger to yourself or to some one else, we'll have a much more productive conversation tomorrow. When you're sober. Don't you think?"

Kirk's hand closes around her knee. Only seconds before a bigger hand comes down hard on his shoulder. She barely has time to process the one before the other.

"Pretty sure the doctor just asked you to make an appointment," Nico growls in Kirk's ear. The man can't get his hand off her leg fast enough; Dani just manages to keep the amused smirk from showing on her face. Unprofessional. And she certainly doesn't need Nico to think she wants him constantly coming to her rescue like this.

"Go back to your room and sleep it off," Nico tells him, with a shove toward the door. He meets the eyes of one of his V3 team in that direction, indicates Kirk with a motion of his head. The other man quietly moves to intercept and escort Kirk from the room.

"I could've handled that," Dani tells him, sounding only _slightly _petulant to her own ears.

"I'm sure you could have," Nico says tightly. His tone throws her; she wonders if he's upset with her. It's made clear why a moment later, when he turns away and gives in to the coughing he can't quite manage to smother.

She mouths "water" at the bartender who's turned their way, and a fresh glass is in front of them before Nico can catch his breath. He lifts his eyes and gives the bartender a short nod of thanks as the man moves away, takes the glass without looking at her. Dani watches him instead, sees how heavily he's leaning on the bar, sees the smudges of sweat along his hairline. She resists the urge to raise her hand to his forehead to check how warm he is.

It won't be appreciated. Instead she goes with simple honesty. "You look terrible."

His chuckle is half choke, and it triggers more coughing. "Not the best line I've ever gotten in a bar," he mumbles, taking another drink and forcing himself up straight. He adjusts his tie, clears his throat. Dani has the distinct impression he's about to try and get away.

She stops him with a hand on his arm, just above his wrist. His gaze shifts down to her hand, back up to her face. But he doesn't move.

"Nico, I'm serious. You look like you should be in bed."

"Getting better," he says, deadpan.

But her scowl supersedes the flush rising in her cheeks, and he takes the hint to turn serious with a twitch of his head and a shrug. "A cold. I've had worse. I'll be fine."

He's wearing his Trust Me, Dani face, the one she always finds herself caving for. A movement too subtle for her notice and her hand is no longer on his arm. But she finds herself holding her ground a little longer.

She leans on the bar, stalling. "So... no time off and no sick days. Don't you ever get a break?" She tries to keep it light now, nudging her side over his line. Looking up at him from a calculated time-wasting sip from her straw, she tips her chin toward a group of obvious Security types standing behind his far shoulder. "What about them? They look like they can handle things for a while."

Nico casually glances that direction, and she watches his entire body freeze.

He turns back to her before she can ask, his mouth open to speak. Uncharacteristically, he closes it again without a word. It sends more of a chill down her spine than does watching his face harden before her in that same instant: she's never known Nico to open his mouth without having something deliberate to say.

But he's turning away, leaving her without an explanation. She doesn't recognize any of the men, but she'd taken them at first for unknown members of Nico's team. Though now that she's really looking, she finds them much too blatant for that. If there are people on Nico's team she doesn't know, it's because they don't _want _to be known.

So not with V3 then. Someone's private security? It's clear that at least most of them men are familiar with each other, just as it's clear that this is not a happy reunion. The body language is virtually screaming, even from this distance. She watches as words are exchanged. It's obvious that Nico does not like these people, so obvious it's dotting goosebumps up her arms.

A feeling which gets no better when the balding man in the front looks her way. Now there's a leer if she's ever seen one.

He laughs and says something to Nico, and the reaction is so swift she doesn't even see it start. But there's Baldy with the front of his black t-shirt suddenly clenched in Nico's fist, with Nico speaking into his ear. The other men start to close in. Dani finds she's on her feet, though with no plan of what it is she's going to do.

But the situation is over before it can come to anything else, with Nico dropping the other man and leaving the room without a glance in her direction. Baldy and his friends all have their eyes on her though. Creepy. Dani sends her darkest scowl their way and sits back down, deliberately turning back to the bar.

There's a cluttered mirror in front of her. She imagines she can pick out their laughter as she watches their reflections exit the room through a different door.

Dani looks back the direction Nico went, working to convince herself that she shouldn't go after him. He clearly doesn't want her company – if the thing with Kirk hadn't happened, she doubts he would have spoken to her at all. And with whatever's happening with Baldy & Co, something tells her her presence would only get in the way. No, she'll just have to find out what's going on tomorrow. If she can track him down.

The bartender places an unordered drink on the counter in front of her, and she's startled out of her thoughts. Dani smiles. "Um... thank you? What's this?"

He returns her smile and collects her empty first glass, nodding in the direction of the far door. "He just left. Said to tell you that he hoped to see you soon." He shrugs, the message meaningless to him, and walks away to the other end of the bar.

Dani shivers. She decides she's done enough mingling for tonight.

* * *

She's dreaming about her old office in her house, those big windows filling things with light. Except there are people outside, people blocking the light. People knocking, people rapping at the windows and doors, at the walls and the ceiling. Not frantic, but insistent. Knocking knocking please let us in Dani knocking please help us...

Dani opens her eyes to her borrowed bedroom, and finds that the knocking has carried over from sleep. She slides out of bed in her yoga pants and throws a hooded sweatshirt on over her thin tank top; she's half-way to the door before she can get the thing to zip up. When she looks at her wrist for the time, she can immediately picture her watch laying neatly next to her cell phone on the table beside her bed. Great.

It feels late.

The knocking hasn't stopped, and tendrils of the dream still curl around her like smoke. A tiny part of her honestly expects to open the door to find a needing crowd outside.

She doesn't expect it to be Nico, battered and bloodied and fumbling in his pocket for his phone.

The blackening right eye grabs her attention first, even as his focus comes up to meet her. A quick second is the split skin across the cheekbone below it, the blood a dark smear from a swipe with a careless hand. Deep enough to need stitches? Dani isn't sure. She'll need to look at it in better light.

"What happened?" she asks, keeping her voice calm as she reaches for his arm to pull him inside. He brings a sweep of crisp mountain air with him over the threshold, his eyes appraising corners and shadows in an instant. Dani tries to guide him to a chair. Nico stops firmly just inside the door.

He shakes his head. "We have to go. Now."

"What are you talking about? Why are you bleeding?"

"Get your shoes. Leave your phone. We don't have much time."

His cheeks are flushed, and they with the bruises conspire to steal all the color from the rest of his face. When he squashes a cough, she doesn't miss the fleeting grimace or the way his hand darts up to cradle his rib cage on the right side.

"Nico, slow down. Tell me what's going on."

Her fingers brush the back of his hand; he flinches, looks up at her. His face is lopsided and puffy, and he only holds her gaze for a moment before he turns to look out through the open door at the darkness behind him.

"I have reason to believe that there are some men coming this way who don't like me very much." His voice is lower than she's ever heard it, and it's got a thick, nasal sound to it. It makes her want to clear her own throat. "I'm going to get you some place safe, and then I'll handle it."

She doesn't like this nighttime drama, this sudden intrusion into the peace of her week. "Can't we -"

Nico's head snaps back around, but now he stagger-steps dizzily into the wall beside him, the heel of his hand coming up to press hard against his forehead. Dani automatically moves in close to grab his other arm, offering her silent support. The heat coming off him swallows her, completely cutting off any sense of the chill breeze lurking just outside.

She waits for the usual facade, the overused steel curtain of impenetrability and denial. But instead he simply says softly, "Dani, please. These are not nice men."

It turns out that the Trust Me, Dani face is somehow even more effective when one eye is almost completely swollen shut.

She finds herself nodding, pulling away from him to duck quickly into the other room. Dani's sure this is about Baldy and his pals from the bar, and her mind is spinning with scenarios as she puts on her socks and running shoes. Sitting on the edge of the rumpled bed, she can hear muffled coughing followed by a low groan coming from the front door.

Dani pulls her hair back, grabs her watch, reluctantly leaves her cell as instructed. What does one do in these situations, she wonders. Should she pack a bag? Bring snacks? She's never had to flee somewhere in the middle of the night before. She doesn't know the etiquette.

The nervous giggle that bubbles up with this thought is cut off abruptly at the sound of more harsh coughing coming from the other side of the wall.

She stops again to grab only a bottle of water, pushing it into one of the hoodie's large pockets as she heads for the still-open front door. Nico's waiting outside, his illusion of composure no doubt helped by the darkness of the night. His eyes flick over her. "Cell phone?"

Dani shakes her head. "In the bedroom."

"Good." Nico tosses his own phone – the face of which she can now see is a mess of spiderweb cracks - onto the nearby sofa and closes the door behind them. He says nothing else as he turns and leads the way into the shadows of the trees.

* * *

The beam of Nico's flashlight is thin and wobbling, barely illuminating a few feet ahead of them on the uneven trail. Their ghostly sliver of a moon ducked behind the clouds minutes back and has yet to return, leaving Dani's steps far more up to chance than to any careful conscious placement; she can only really "see" Nico in front of her when a stray step places his bulk momentarily between her and the light. So she concentrates instead on the sound of his breathing, all too audible out here in the inky silence. She listens to the errant crunching under their feet and watches that pencil-sharp beam, a thousand questions dancing through her head.

She doesn't like this at all.

The light bounces softly in time with his pace, the only focal point in front of her. It's surreal out here, like she's simply moved from one dream to another. Maybe she's still in her cabin, safe in her big bed, her brain merely trying to process through the day's events. Nico, threatening strangers... it ties together rather neatly, really.

But it's cold out here, and she can feel the dew's damp on her exposed skin. And if she knows she's dreaming, shouldn't she be able to wake herself up?

Her scowl is lost to the shadows.

She's matched her gait to his, subconsciously fallen into the beat of the dipping light. She realizes this only when he stops, and her next step takes her unexpectedly into his back. There's a pained grunt from Nico, and Dani reflexively takes a step backward. Her heel comes down awkwardly on something unyielding, her leg twisting to send her toward the ground.

But he's there before she can fall, grabbing her arm and pulling her upright. A matter of microseconds from then to now, and he's got his arm around her and Dani's not really sure who's leaning on whom.

"Okay?" he breathes out, already starting to pull away.

The moment is broken by that one word and the reappearance of the moon. In the pale new light, the left side of his face is bone white, the right a darkness of bruises. Her anger is fueled by her fear.

"Okay? No, Nico, I am most definitely not okay." Her words come out in almost a hiss in her attempt to keep quiet in the stillness of the night. "What are we doing out here? Where are we _going_?"

Nico holds up a placating hand, the one holding the flashlight. His right arm stays stiffly at his side, his posture hunching slightly in that direction. "There's an empty cabin up here, a place for hikers to stay overnight." His voice is a landslide of gravel. "I'll explain the rest when we get there. Good enough?"

"Not good enough. Why don't you just go to security? Or call the police? If -"

"Dani," he cuts her off. "Around here, these guys _are _security. And they wouldn't be the first expensive private force to have a deal with the local police. I'm not going to risk it. Not with you."

The last is nearly a whisper as his words trail off uncharacteristically, and her mind reaches for them as they slip by. But before she can grab them Nico's coughing, ending up practically doubled over the arm clamped around his torso. There's nothing she can do but wait until it passes, silently offering him the bottle of water when he slowly straightens up once more.

He's not looking at her, his breathing fast and shallow, and he's still got that arm tight around his ribs. She wonders if they're broken. If she should ask. As she stands there in the dark watching him struggle to regain his equilibrium, she wonders why she's always so uncertain around this man.

Moments later the arm falls, and he sees the water as he turns to face her. There's a quiet "thanks" as he takes it from her, but he doesn't quite manage to meet her eyes. She waves it off when he tries to hand the bottle back, and he puts it into his coat pocket, looking into the shadows ahead.

"Come on," he says. "We need to keep moving."

She doesn't protest, doesn't comment. The light finds a slice of the path, and they continue their hike through the woods.

* * *

It's really cold out here. The moisture in the air dusts itself over her hair, her face, the backs of her hands, accumulating into a slick layer when she makes the mistake of trying to wipe it away. It's lit up by an intermittent breeze, a rush of cool air that slips between the trees to chill her skin and set her shivering. She's tried to take advantage of the sweatshirt's hood, but the sudden lack of peripheral vision – dim though it may be – is enough to help her decide that she'd rather be damp. Dani finds herself making a somewhat sardonic mental note to dress more warmly next time, should she find herself in a similar situation in the future.

She hunches her shoulders, shoves her hands in her pockets. Nico's said nothing up ahead of her, doing his best to muffle the sounds of his cold. Occasionally she watches the silhouette of his arm come up to drag his sleeve across his forehead. She can't see his face, but he doesn't look anymore comfortable than she feels.

Dani has no idea how long they've been out here.

When - after a glance at the compass on his watch - he finally does speak, it's only to change their direction. "This way," he tells her gruffly, leading her off at an angle to the direction they'd been going. She wants to stop him, to talk to him. There are so many more questions. And she needs a minute to truly assess his situation, because, really, right now she's just hoping he's able to get them to wherever it is out here that they're going. If he can't... Dani's not even sure she can find her way back on her own. Not until daylight, anyway.

But there's nothing she can do out here in the dark, and she knows that any questions put to him will only bounce back unanswered. So she bows her head against the trickling dew, and focuses again on the narrow light beam tracing their way.

Ten steps later, the light rolls off into the bushes as Nico trips over something and goes to his knees.

The shout that comes out of his throat slams hard into the back of his clenched teeth, a faint strangled noise escaping. When Dani gets there he's breathing fast, his head hanging low. His arms with a death grip on his ribs. She's on her knees beside him now, resting a hand on his shoulder, but Nico shakes his head.

"Just - " It's ground out through an immobile jaw, working eye tightly closed. "Need a minute."

"Oh. Of course," Dani says, pulling her hand away to sit back on her heels. She's flustered by such an un-Nico like request; she wonders how badly he must be feeling to make such an admission. Again her fears of wandering lost in the night flare up their whispers. She tries to be convincing when telling them to shut up.

It isn't long before he lifts his head, straightening his back to mostly upright and letting his right arm fall to his side. Another shallow breath and the left one releases as well, his hand a fist in the dirt as he tries to push himself to his feet. Dani does what she can to help, getting under his arm. Eventually they're up.

If not particularly steady.

She holds onto his arm when he tries immediately to pull away, keeping his weight on her shoulders. "Hey. Give yourself a minute," she echoes. Dani can't tell if the noise he makes is a cough or a grunt of assent, but either way he leans on her a little longer.

She's struck again by how warm he is, and she can tell he's taking care to keep most of his weight off her smaller frame. His breathing is rough in her ear as he fights to get it under control. Too soon he's forcing himself back on his own feet, untangling his arm from her shoulders. Dani shivers when the cool air sweeps into the space between them.

Nico notices, of course, and goes to remove his overcoat without thinking. The movement catches up with him almost instantly, the pain flashing across his face clearly even in this light; he doesn't get very far. For a moment Dani bites her lip and watches him just stand there, frustrated, palm splayed against his side, staring at the ground and breathing raggedly.

When his breathing mostly levels out she moves in cautiously, her fingers brushing his sleeve. "Nico. I don't need it." He looks at her, his face close, but the moonlight isn't bright enough to decipher the emotions in that one dark eye. "Besides," she says, "it's not like it's raining or anything."

Taking a cue from a scripted reality, it now begins to rain.

Dani's "Oh come on!" is louder than Nico's muttered "Terrific." She realizes for the first time that he's loosened his tie, undone the top buttons of his shirt. A strand of dark hair has stuck itself into a small curl on his forehead, a thin rivulet of rainwater running from it down the swollen right side of his face.

There's a long silence, a dumbfounded point in time. After a long beat, Nico quietly says, "I suppose this means you want my coat."

She can't decide if the creases at the corner of his eye signal pain or amusement.

"No, I don't want your coat." Annoyance surges, adding up rapidly with the rate of ever-growing discomfort. "What I want, Nico, is to be sleeping – in a _bed _– home or otherwise, in nice dry clothes in a nice warm room. Barring that, I'd like to know just how far it is we still have to go, and just how badly you're injured. For starters."

He's stiffened, peering off into the darkness. Dani crosses her arms over her chest and glares ineffectively at the side of his face. She's losing her patience for bravado. "Well?"

"Ribs. Bruised," comes the soft murmur, his lips barely appearing to move. "I'll be fine."

"Uh-huh. What abou-"

Nico whirls on her, and she barely has time to register the rush, the hand covering her mouth, the _panic _– her sentence crushed into an aborted squeak - before he's pushing her into the shadows of a tree, his voice husky in her ear. "Don't move."

Before she can reboot her brain he's released her, moving purposefully between the trees. Another cloud has drifted its way across the moon, and she doesn't see the second figure until he jumps at Nico from behind.

It's like watching a black and white movie - the way the night leeches the color from the scene - though she's fairly certain Cary Grant never knew these moves. The two men seem evenly matched, Nico giving no impression that he's at anything less than the top of his game. Dani watches with a hand over her mouth, trying desperately to keep track of who is who; she recognizes Nico's long coat as it unfurls out behind him when he turns.

The trampled leaves protest loudly, battling the heavy sounds of exertion filling the space.

She can't say how long the struggle goes on, doesn't notice when the rain picks up its pace. Her eyes are locked on the men in front of her. When the fight boils down to one indistinct figure holding the other tightly in a headlock, there's a heart-skipping moment before she can tell who it is that's ended up the victor.

Dani creeps carefully from her shady hiding place, reaching Nico just as he lets his opponent's limp form slide to the dirt.

He staggers a few steps away and folds in on himself as if his strings have been cut, bent over with hands gripping knees as he tries to catch his breath. Dani can't help but first kneel down next to the still body on the ground and check for a pulse.

"Unconscious." Nico's voice wafts over broken glass to find her; he doesn't straighten up or glance her way. "...be awake... few hours."

A certain amount of sheepishness washes over her as she stands, finally turning to him. She wants to trust this man – she does trust this man. Enough to follow him out into the woods in the middle of the night on only his word. But he's still filled with so many secret places. And something tells Dani that he's certainly capable of killing someone.

An attempt to stop a cough quickly devolves into a string of them, bringing Nico to his knees for the second time. Dani sinks to the wet forest floor beside him, stealing a hand into his pocket to fish out the bottle of water. She watches the outline of his adam's apple as he swallows, watches the rain run off the bottom of his hair and into his collar as he tries to grab enough air. She wonders if he's ever again going to meet her eyes.

"Christ that hurts," he finally admits to no one. It's barely audible.

Dani pretends it's not.

They're both shivering now, clothes soaked through. Nico rubs at his good eye, runs a hand through his wet hair. He doesn't seem to be moving his right arm at all now, though it's hard to tell from her position on his other side. He's sitting back on his heels, staring at nothing. He doesn't appear to be in any kind of a hurry any longer.

Her weighted sweatshirt clings to her skin unpleasantly when she reaches out to touch his shoulder. "Nico?" The syllables are soft and shapeless. She's not even really sure what she's asking.

But it's enough. Nico blinks, sniffs. "Right." He clears his throat, tries again. "We should go."

It's not uncertain - not really, not at all a question - but it's definitely lacking in some of the familiar Nico intensity. Another trill of anxiety twists through her, one that she struggles to keep out of her voice. "Okay. And what about...?" Dani indicates the body next to her with a tip of her head.

He swings his gaze in that direction and blinks dumbly a few more times, a frown deepening the lines across his forehead. Dani starts wondering just how high his fever is. After a long moment Nico shakes his head, seeming to find a little focus.

"Flunkey," he growls, shifting to get up. He doesn't argue when she moves to assist, and soon they're on their feet. "I want to talk to... the man who can end this." His deep voice is a breathless murmur in her ear. There's a lot more of his weight on her shoulders than before, but she can't make a guess as to his body temperature, not when her own is so low. To be honest, his radiating body heat feels fantastic around her – well worth the compacting of her spine – and Dani snuggles a little closer under his arm to make the most of the warmth for as long as Nico needs to stand here.

She only feels a little guilty about this.

But they can't stay out in the rain all night. Dani's about to say so when Nico moves first, away from her to stand on his own. He's awkwardly patting his pockets with his left hand and looking at the area around his feet. It takes Dani too long to realize that he's looking for the flashlight.

"Back there," she gestures vaguely the way she thinks they've come. She's surprised at how tired her own voice is starting to sound. "Before the impromptu kung-fu demonstration."

This earns her a glance, before Nico turns to look the way she's pointed. Dani can see that he's moving his entire body, rather than twisting his shoulders. She sincerely hopes that he doesn't intend to actually hunt for it; she's absolutely hit her limit on being cold and wet and scared.

"Forget it," he mutters, shifting his body back around. "We're almost there. Get you out of the rain."

He reaches for her hand like a foregone conclusion, his attention instead on the trees that surround them. Dani hesitates only a moment at the unexpected offer. "It's not me I'm worried about," she says, slipping her fingers into his. The anticipated warmth is reprehensibly blissful. He makes no sign of having heard her.

Nico's long fingers enclose hers completely, the heat of his skin inching its way up her wrist. He leads her along without looking back, and Dani does her stumbling best to keep up. His grip is firm, only occasionally disturbed by the sudden spasm of an aborted squeeze when his right foot meets the ground with too much force. These unexpected missteps are accompanied by sharp intakes of air that are cut off just as quickly as the crush of his hand. She tries to ignore both, and just hopes that Nico's idea of "almost there" matches up neatly with her own.

When the small cabin forms out of the dark, he tries to doggedly steer her right past it. Dani stops, their linked hands pulling him to a halt as well. He grunts as she pulls him up short, but doesn't turn. "Nico."

"Gotta keep moving," he mumbles, tugging at her hand without looking back.

"Nico. I think we found it."

This brings his head up, grips hold of his attention. He lets go of her, staring at the structure as recognition slowly settles. Nico straightens, visibly back in the present. Holds up an arm to keep her behind him. "Stay here," he tells her, heading for the door.

"Woof," Dani says to his back, all her emotions compressing into this pinprick of sarcasm. If he hears it he doesn't respond, disappearing through the simple doorway.

It's raining hard now, making it impossible to differentiate the papery splatter on the leaves around her from the possibility of footsteps. But there's nothing to see when she looks about, just shadows and water blurring the world. She turns back to the cabin, hugging herself and bouncing on her toes. It does nothing to keep her warm.

The cabin isn't large, the front merely two windows on either side of the door. Unless it's somehow bigger on the inside, it doesn't seem to Dani like searching it should be taking this long.

She decides she's waited out here long enough and takes a step toward the doorway, jumping back again startled when Nico suddenly appears there. He pulls the door fully open, motioning for her to come in; he doesn't move as she brushes past him. This close she can feel that he's trembling, with one lock-elbowed arm holding himself up on the doorknob.

But once she's entered he exits, and she turns with confusion as he steps back out into the rain. "Wait, where are you going? Nico -"

She doesn't want him to go back out there. She doesn't want to be left alone. It's difficult to discern the ratio of concern to fear even to her own ears, but whatever he hears quirks the corner of his mouth upward in an acknowledging tired smile. "Going to look around." His voice is vanishing, breathless and hoarse. "Stay away from the windows, don't light a fire. I'll be back in a minute."

He closes the door before she can respond, and Dani is left alone. Her new hideout is indeed as small as expected, one room and only the two windows she could see from the front. There's a cot with a thick blanket that someone has left behind, and she immediately crosses the room to wrap it around her shoulders. It doesn't exactly smell fresh, but it's not too bad and she appreciates the warmth.

Being out of the rain makes her conscious of just how wet she is, and she sits on the cot to stare at the fireplace with longing. The few logs scattered beside it are practically _begging _to be burned. Mocking her from their dry, neat little stack, whispering promises of warmth…

She alternates her time between glaring at the logs and glaring at the door, wondering exactly how long she should wait for Nico to come back. And, should this undetermined amount of time come to pass, what it is she's supposed to do then. Wander around in the dark looking for him? Maybe find Baldy and his friends and form a search party? Her remembered watch is useless in this light, but any stretch of time is too long when she knows he shouldn't be out there at all.

Dani tells herself to calm down. She tells herself that Nico will come back.

The rain is loud, even in here, and so she finally sees the jiggle of the nearby doorknob rather than hears it. The door doesn't open, but after a beat the knob wobbles weakly again; the blanket is forgotten when it falls from her shoulders as she stands. Dani picks up one of the fire logs, attempting to look as threatening as possible as she approaches the closed door.

She holds the wood over her head as she carefully cracks open the door; it hits the floor with an unheard noise as Nico's weight pushes the door inward as soon as she turns the handle. He stumbles into her arms as he's deprived of the door's support, instinctively managing to regain just enough footing that she's able to keep them both from going down. But he doesn't seem at all aware, half-slumped against her with his working eye barely open, and she knows she can't hold him up like this for long.

She shifts to try and get his arm over her shoulder, to get him moving. "Come on, Nico. I could use some help here." There's an incoherent mumble and a slight shifting of his feet, but nothing that actually does them any good. It isn't until she slips her hand under his coat and around his waist that she gets a definite reaction; her reach not even halfway across his back when his head snaps up, pain instantly sharpening his attention. He blinks vaguely and repeatedly, unsuccessfully trying to find his balance without her support. A lurching step sways him back into her; Dani uses the momentum to aim them toward the cot.

"...m good," comes a murmur next to her ear. His breath tickles the fine drying hairs on the back of her neck.

"Ignoring that," Dani says.

A string of awkward staggering steps gets them to their destination, and it's more of a tumble than a careful landing that sees them down onto the cot. Nico hits first, with Dani landing half on top of him; he groans, reflexively trying to curl in on himself while still half hanging off their small bed. She scrambles off of him. He flinches when she touches his leg, pressing his face into the canvas. Dani chews at her lower lip as she looks again around the bare room.

They need a fire.

A fire would be a bad idea.

She busies herself instead with closing the wooden door, blocking the raindrops from flinging themselves into the room. She's trying to buy herself time to think, but her tired brain refuses to do anything but spin in unproductive circles.

Dani sighs. "Would you believe not my worst vacation ever?" she asks rhetorically, suddenly desperate for something to drown out her feelings of helplessness and the sound of Nico's tortured breathing. She sinks to the floor, pulling her knees up and wrapping her arms tightly around them. Her feet squelch unhappily in her shoes at the change in position, reminding her yet again just how wet they are. It isn't good for either of them, him especially. "Let's see: there was the one where Lindsay freaked out at the top of the giant waterslide and wouldn't stop screaming until Ray pushed his way through a long – and angry – line to get her. Ooh, or how about the one where Ray Jay jumped the - far too subtle for my child - velvet ropes and ended up projectile vomiting corn dogs and Dr Pepper all over a priceless fourteenth century tapestry?"

Nico's stirring as she speaks, determinedly struggling into something closer to a sitting position. It takes an effort, but he manages to get himself upright, leaning with his back propped against the wall. He pauses there, eye closed, and Dani sees that the cut on his cheek has reopened. He doesn't seem to notice the thin trail of blood inching its way toward his jaw, but even in this poor light it screams at her against the pallor of his skin.

Exhaustion drops a lead cloak over her shoulders, wavering her voice a little as she pointlessly concludes, "Adventures with children: just a step away from imminent disaster." She rests her chin on her knees, staring into the shadows.

Outside, the rain keeps coming down.

A few silent minutes later, his voice scratches through the dark above her head. "This isn't worse than the waterslide?"

"I had a massage today," she says.

"Ah." She watches as he finally forces his eye open, sees the shift from confusion to concern as he tries to locate her and finds her on the floor. "Dani? Are you hurt?" he's asking, beginning to move, but she's already on her feet reassuring him that she's fine. It takes a long moment to convince him, but at last he nods, sending more loose strands of normally tamed black hair down over his forehead. He rests his head back against the wall.

"Take the cot," Nico says, despite the fact that his eye slides shut again. "... leaving soon."

"Right," she humors him, grabbing the blanket from off the floor. "Until then, we can share."

Nico's feet are on the floor, but Dani pulls hers up to fold underneath herself as she settles in on his uninjured side. He barely cracks his eye open as she drapes the blanket over them. The heat of his fever has not abated, and his breathing is worryingly shallow. He leans into the coolness of her hand where she presses the back of it to his face.

For a long while they simply sit there, thinking their thoughts and battling their exhaustion. Dani isn't sure if Nico's even awake now, and she's torn between her need for answers and her desire to let him rest. But they're out here in the middle of nowhere hiding from who knows what, and it's time she figures out what's happening.

As if to enforce her decision, a flash of lightening washes unexpectedly through the room. Nico bolts upright in surprise, and the resulting growl of pain arcs through the noise of following thunder. As they're dropped back into darkness, she listens to his harsh panting breaths, her cold hand laying lightly across the back of his bare neck as he's hunched forward to cradle his injured ribs. It's the only comfort she can find to offer.

"Damn," he breathes out, as he makes an attempt to straighten up. Dani's hand slides to his shoulder, guiding him back to lean against the wall. There's enough moonlight to make out the thinly compressed set of his mouth as he brings his left hand up to rub at his forehead. "Sorry," he says, his voice a raspy whisper. "I'm fine."

"Say it again and I swear I'll scream." She settles back against the wall as he has, a trickle of wet slipping down her spine as the rain is pressed from her clothes. When she speaks again, she's impressed at the neutrality of her tone. "Nico, you need to tell me what's going on. What happened to you? How can I help?"

He doesn't open his working eye; the other remains a dark swollen shape. "Ran into a few old friends earlier tonight." It's practically nonchalant. A verbal shrug. "They wanted to reminisce."

Dani wonders how many "a few" is. "Some friends. Lemme guess: Baldy and Company? From the bar."

An exhale of a laugh at the moniker. "Co-workers... FBI. Took their interrogations too far." His breath hitches as he shifts, trying to find a more comfortable position. Another flare of lightening briefly floods the room. "Accidentally killed a kid," he gets out through his teeth after the thunder passes. "...testified. They got time."

"Okay, so you're not at the top of their Christmas list. I get it. What I don't get is why that gives them the right to assault you. Or what they want chasing us through the woods in the dark. And, no offense, but what do I have to do with all this?"

"They saw us together. They think… they think they can use you to get to me." He sounds exhausted, breathless. His eyebrows are pulled together in a permanent frown.

"Use me." It's not a question, because she doesn't want an answer. She works to compartmentalize that, to devote her attention to the more immediate issues. Like the fact that Nico's now practically wide-eyed, looking at her like he's said something he definitely hadn't intended. She's seen that look on plenty of people, but she's never seen it on him.

"Shit," he says under his breath, running a hand over his face.

But it takes only a breath for the stricken look to melt back into the normal mask of stone control, and when he looks at her again, there is no doubting his sincerity. "Dani, listen to me: I won't let anything happen to you."

The flood of warmth at the fervor behind his words is combatted by the notice of a slight slurring at their edges. But he's proving his case by slowing getting to his feet, the mattress edge shifting under his weight as he pushes himself up.

Now she's standing beside him, the blanket again on the floor. He's listing precariously; her small hand barely wraps half way around his arm when she tries to steady him. "Nico –"

"Going to deal with this," is his answer to her unspoken question. He's back to not meeting her eyes; she can see the effort it's taking him just to stand. "Stay here."

"And do what?" she snaps at him, suddenly furious. "Shadow puppets in the lightening flashes? Count the raindrops on the windows?"

"Dani –"

She's not listening, the frustrated tears pricking the back of her eyes spurring her on over the top of him. "This is ridiculous, Nico! How long have we been out here? What are we going to do?"

"We're not going to do anything." It's a growl under his breath, a cue she misses in her exhaustion.

She isn't thinking, isn't filtering this run of frightened speech. "You need medical attention, though god knows you won't admit it, and –"

She doesn't see it coming when Nico suddenly pulls his arm out of her grasp and slams his fist into the wall. It stops her flat, this hidden anger, this unexpected explosion. It's so unlike him, and it recoils her back in a sudden burst of animal fear.

Dani forces herself to take a breath, pulls her practiced cloak of therapist calm abut her shoulders. Nico's paying the price for his outburst, a low, smashed moan slipping from him as his forehead comes to rest on the wall near his fist. His right arm is bracing his ribs like he's trying to hold them in his body. He looks completely drained now, but her fragile nerves are still tingling when she puts a tentative hand on his arm.

He doesn't lift his head. "What do you want me to say, Dani?" His voice cracks even low as it is, and the exhaustion there yanks hard on her maternal instincts. "You want me… to admit I feel like crap? How does that help?"

Has he ever laid himself this vulnerable in front of her? She admits to herself, in this instance, it terrifies her a little. Every breath pulls a wince across his face. He still hasn't opened his eye, hasn't moved.

Dani pulls her calm in closer, pushes it all down to be dealt with at a better time. She tries not to wonder how long she can keep this up. "Nico. I just want you to be honest with me."

He doesn't answer her, but he does gather himself enough to push off the wall. Dani grabs for him when he overbalances, and he ends up half slumped on her shoulder, his forehead pressing against the top of her head. He smells like the damp wool of his coat, and his body is still broadcasting a sickening heat. Dani hopes she's inventing the odd sound to his breathing, the raspy hitch that could be from damaged lungs or ribs.

"Always want to be honest with you," Nico mumbles into her hair.

She ignores the _déjà vu_ as she tries to get him moving back to the cot. "Uh-huh. Like when you said your ribs were only bruised?" The words slide from her lips without will, but at the last minute she manages to inject enough false levity to keep it from sounding like an attack. She's unnerved by how compliant he's become while she guides him back down onto the mattress.

"Were when you asked me." It's a weak protest as he leans back against the wall, his bruised face tight even in the shadows. He seems to have lost all energy and interest for this conversation.

She stands there watching him working for each breath. His hair's a comparable disaster now – she imagines he'd be somewhat appalled to see how much of it has escaped its slicked-backed style. The scattered bangs make him look younger. The pain etched into his features does not.

"Why don't you lie down for a bit?" she asks gently, trying not to push any buttons. "Before you go out there."

A small shake of the head, a sign that he's heard her. "Can't fall asleep. Just need… few minutes."

It occurs to her that, in another situation, this little boy insistence would probably be adorable. A child swearing it's not time for sleep, even as he's nodding off. But a painful cough from Nico grounds her again, and she feels her own desire for conversation die into the ripples of her fatigue. She doesn't know what to do.

Instead of arguing, Dani carefully returns to her spot beside him. Pulling the blanket back up, she rests her head on his shoulder, listening to him breathe. She closes her eyes, and fights to keep herself dry in the wash of helplessness that threatens her drowning again.

* * *

"…kill you," comes a snarl close to her ear.

Dani's eyes snap open, her heart pounding. The minute it takes to get her bearings tells her she must have fallen asleep; the recognition of Nico's weight slumped against her tells her that he still is.

Though not a healthy sleep. He doesn't stir when she shifts in position, his head lolling onto her his shoulder. The awkward angle of his neck is only enhanced by the muscles twitching there as he clenches and unclenches his jaw; his lips are moving, brushing against the blanket that's pulled up over her chest, but most of what he's saying is more rumble than words. The heat off him is incredible.

She needs to find some way to bring his fever down. Soon.

"Touch her and I'll kill you."

The furious promise in his fevered voice gives her a chill. Is he talking about her?

"…swear, I…"

He's growing agitated, moving restlessly. "…kill you…"

"Nico, stop." She twists enough to get her legs underneath her, to sit back on her heels and take his weight into her arms. She braces her shoulder against the wall to keep them upright; this isn't a position she's going to be able to hold for very long.

His face presses into her shoulder, his forehead slick and scalding against her neck. He's still speaking soundlessly, tickling her collarbone with every exhale. Dani holds him there, trailing her fingers rhythmically through his wet hair in an attempt to calm him down.

Eventually the murmuring slows, stops. She hopes that he's finally drifted off, but after a few moments she can feel his weight changing as he struggles to lift his head. He can't suppress a groan as she helps him sit up, but she's pleased to see his eye blink open, hoping this is a good sign.

But he's clearly unfocused, a glassy film covering his gaze. "Sorry, I…" His grasp on consciousness is ephemeral, his voice a hazy whisper. "…fell asleep…"

Her hand comes up to brush away the hair plastered to his forehead; his eye flutters closed at the coolness of her fingers against his skin. "Shhh… There's nothing to be sorry for."

"Mmmmm…" He's barely with her, lost in the sensation. Dani's feet are beginning to go numb beneath her, but she stays where she is; her fingernails absently trace a soothing pattern through the hair at his temple while she tries to figure out what they're going to do.

She remembers the water, shifting just enough that she can get her hand into his damp coat pocket. It's about half full when she finds it, unscrewing the cap. He makes a weak attempt to bat it away as she brings the bottle up to his mouth. "Nico, you need to drink this." No response. "Water. It'll help," she tries lamely. He drags his eye open, and the confusion there is clear. She suddenly finds herself blinking back tears again.

_Breathe, Dani. You can do this._

"Dani? Where…?"

She brushes past his disorientation. "Water," she repeats gently, and this time a shaky hand comes up to assist. He drains the rest of the bottle; his head falls back against the wall, and the empty plastic falls from his fingers onto the floor.

A few fought-for breaths, even more difficult to watch. But now he's stirring again, abruptly restless. His question already apparently forgotten, he's awkwardly trying to search for something else in his coat. Something he's obviously very determined to find. And he's growing more frustrated the longer it's taking him to do that.

"What are you looking for?" she asks, wanting to help. He squirms under the pressure of her hand on his shoulder, not looking at her as his left hand continues its digging.

"Phone," he pushes through his clenched teeth. Dani's stomach drops. "Need to call Pittman. Check in."

She inhales sharply at the mention of Nico's dead boss and friend; it stops her flat as she reaches for a response. His search is building to something closer to frantic as it continues, and Dani gives herself a mental shake. She finds her voice.

"Hey, Nico, it's okay," she says, grabbing his hand and holding it against his feeble effort to pull away. "Pittman knows what's going on." There's a quiver in her voice accompanying this lie, but he's not aware enough to notice. He's frowning at their clasped hands, trying to digest the words. She continues on, the sound of her voice seeming to soothe him somewhat. "You're supposed to reach him when this is over."

Nico looks at her, judging this with his skewed senses. Dani wonders if he even knows who she is right now. But eventually he nods. Trusts her. He slumps back against the wall, arm tight around his ribs, and Dani releases the breath she now realizes she's been holding. It cracks something inside her to lie to him like this, but she'll do more harm trying to explain the truth to him through his fever._ Keep things simple. Figure out how you're getting out of here._ Her knees screech their complaint as she finally stretches them out, pins and needles instantly attacking her feet and ankles. Dani gets to her feet anyway, walking about the room to sort out the blood flow._ Figure out how you're getting out of here._

Carrying him isn't an option, and she doubts he's going to be of much help if she tries to get him to walk. Which means leaving him here, alone, and going for help. She grimaces. So many things wrong with that option, just one being the fact that she'll have to find her way back. _Can _she find her way back?

It isn't until she begins to feel a little light-headed that she notices she's headed toward hyperventilation. Dani forces herself to breathe more slowly, rubbing at her temples while she deliberately counts each one, eyes closed. So much for the relaxation of today's massage. She makes herself stand there, breathing, until her heart rate starts to slow down.

When she opens her eyes, Nico's moving. Or trying to. He tugs at his loose tie, his frustration shifting to anger with a low growl when he can't get the knot to slip loose. The hint of an attempt to get out of his coat is more than his body will submit to; he immediately goes back to yanking at his tie. In the seconds it takes for her to cross back to sitting on the bed beside him, his fingers have moved to frenetically groping at the buttons of his shirt, making good progress at completely tearing them off.

"…too hot…" he grinds out, back to pulling at his tie. He's making no progress, visibly weakening with the pointless effort. And yet the impression of a wounded animal is only growing, as every motion only swells the pain and confusion and anger. Waves of it coming off of him. Dani slowly slips through his danger signal shield, reaching up to remove his tie. She carefully undoes a few more of his shirt buttons; Nico shivers when the cool air brushes over the sweat on his chest. She can see the tip of a dark stain of spreading bruise creeping up his right side even without opening his shirt any more than this.

"You have a fever," she tells him, bringing her look back up to his face. He's fixated on her now, breathing roughly but no longer struggling. He looks wary, uncertain as to the situation. She waits for him to say something. Pushes on when he doesn't. "You want to try and get your coat off?"

Gradually the disoriented caution melts into his exhaustion, and all he can do is nod and shift forward on the bed. Dani moves to stand in front of him, sensing now that he's fading fast. With his head bowed between them, his hair hangs loose to block her view of his face. So her gaze instead lands on the back of his bare neck. On the tendons there that seize into sharp relief the minute she starts to remove his coat.

"Okay?" He nods without lifting his head. His hands are bloodless in their grip on the edge of the cot.

She goes as carefully as she can, but she's only got his left arm partially out of its sleeve before an abruptly sucked in breath catches in Nico's throat and sends him coughing. Part of her brain registers the thick, wet sound to it even as he pulls away from her, doubling over, and she has to stop him from tumbling off the edge of the bed. It's unnerving to see someone usually so graceful and stealthy lose hold of something as basic as balance. It's probably the least of their problems right now, but she can imagine what Nico must be going through, if he's aware enough to notice.

Not that he appears to be.

Nico's stopped coughing, but he's working hard to breathe. Her hands are on his shoulders, and the bruised right side of his face shifts to rest against the soft sleeve of her oversized sweatshirt; when they come, the extra fabric serves to muffle words already none too loud.

"Coat stays on," is what she thinks he says.

It's all caught up with him now, the fever and the pain and the illness. Dani wonders how long he's been sick. Knowing Nico, it probably started before the retreat did. There's a surge of anger at this idea. Seems things are catching up to her as well.

It takes some coaxing, but she manages to get him back to sitting upright against the wall. She debates trying to convince him to lie down – she's never seen him this compliant – but with the cold she decides he'll probably breathe better sitting up. He hasn't said anything. As she moves away from him, she sees his tie lying on the blanket and has an idea.

Finally Dani's pleased to see it's still raining; a glance out the window tells her little more than this. Impossible to see even into the trees through the storm and the softly fogging glass pane, and even this small desperate measure feels dangerous. But she holds her breath and pulls the door open just enough to get her arm out, and in the dimness she watches as the grey silk of the tie spots and darkens with the pelting water.

She has to use her shoulder to push the door closed against the wind. Lets out the breath, wipes her face on her sleeve. No one's grabbed her, or forced their way in. Maybe they've given up? But the hope is smudged by the memory of an assailant in the woods, and the knowledge that the people outside aren't their only problem. Nico hasn't moved.

Dani lightly presses the folded tie against his forehead, his bruised face. Water trickles from the fabric ends, trailing over his temples and into his hair. The long sigh he releases sounds a little like relief. Or perhaps that emotion comes from her, when he opens his eye and focuses on her a moment later.

"Dani…" Focus is too strong a word, she sees, but she's thrilled that he recognizes her. It makes her smile, despite everything, and she's surprised to see his bleary sleepy half-smile in response. It disappears into a wince a second later, and he's struggling to lift his arm up high enough to squint at his watch. "What…"

There's a lot of information on the face of his watch, but the numbers glow enough for her to see it's only a few hours until sunrise. She's doesn't think he can read it, and she can feel the frustration building back. She takes the opportunity to clean the dried blood from his face, hoping to distract him, but he's trying to pull away, lips in a tight line. "Stop… need to –"

She drops the tie, straightens up. "To do what, Nico?" she snaps, the words escaping before she knows they're coming. "You can't even stand up. You need to be in a hospital."

He flinches; a beat later she hears herself and can't help but cringe. Predictably, all she does is urge him on, and now he's trying to prove her wrong by forcing himself to his feet. She should have seen this, should have chosen her words more carefully. He's had enough challenges to his habitual control. There's no need for her to add to them.

With one arm hugging tightly to his ribs, he only has one hand to push himself up with. This turns out not to make a difference, as his shaky legs refuse to hold him once he stands, and he sinks back down beside her with a groan and a dark scowl. Sitting on the edge of the cot, he curls in on himself, head hanging low.

Dani studies the line of his curved back, notes his hand opening and closing into a tight fist on the bed beside him. She doesn't need to be a psychologist to read the tension coming off him, hissing out between the fever heat and exhaustion. The picture of a wounded animal returns to her unbidden, and she finds herself actually hesitating to touch him. She wonders if this anger is always there, waiting under his surface. Coiled and ready to strike.

She reminds herself that she doesn't believe he'd ever hurt her. The rest can be dealt with later.

So she reaches out, rests a hand gently between his shoulder blades. They ratchet upward at her touch, but otherwise he doesn't move. She rubs slow circles into his back, and his shoulders begin to relax a little. Not enough, but at least it seems she's helping. Continuing the absent pattern, she can find nothing to do but wait.

When Nico speaks, she can barely hear his hoarse words. "Shouldn't be… involved. My fault." It's breathless, slurred. When he lifts his head to look at her, his good eye is glassy in the moonlight. "I'll fix this."

"I know," she says.

* * *

Nico fades away again soon after, his fever not yet broken. Dani sits watch over his uneasy sleep, leaving only once to rewet the silk tie. She hopes it's not one of his favorites, because it won't really be the same after this. Dani files the idea away for some future present idea. Then congratulates herself for thinking so positively on their uncertain future.

But Nico's mumbling again, pulling her back into their unpleasant present. She can't make out most of the words – hasn't been able to, not since this started a half-hour ago – but the few she does leave her feeling uncomfortable. She's used to people telling her their secrets. She's just accustomed to having them do it intentionally.

Still they're just pieces, snippets of meaningless conversation that do little to fill in the image of the full puzzle. Demands. Apologies. Dani has no idea what demons he's fighting. His lips shape the word "Mom," and the depth of layered regret there makes her want to cry. She wonders if there will ever come a time when their relationship allows for him to share these things with her. Refolding the tie and replacing it on his burning forehead, she admits to herself that she doubts it.

Which makes it seem all the more wrong for her to hear any of it now. Even if an entirely human part of her really wants to know.

A look at his watch tells her it's still over an hour until daylight. Does the sun signal their safety? At least the light will give her a better chance of finding her way back to help. Or maybe Nico will rebound after a little sleep, and they can go back together. He's quieting now. She can only hope that's a good sign.

So much of her energy is involved in her worry for Nico, she's given less and less thought to the people that sent them out here in the first place. Something she realizes only when she hears a voice outside, shouting unintelligibly over the rain. It's answered by another, and it sounds like they're somewhere to the front of the small cabin. Dani's throat closes, the shiver running through her shaking water droplets from her hair.

"Nico!" she hisses. Biting her lip and shooting nervous glances at the door, she gives his shoulder a shake. His lips move, but he doesn't wake, his head rolling against the wall behind him. "Nico, they're here. I need you…"

A cold weight settles in her stomach when there's no response. She wants nothing more than to pull the blanket up over her head and hide there. "Nico…"

"Careles! Been chasing your sorry ass around all night. Get the fuck out here!"

Dani's head snaps up, icy fingers brushing across the back of her neck. She's going to have to do something.

What the hell is she going to do?

She can't just sit here, and wait for them to come in. Which means going out there. And doing… what? A frantic look around shows her no new weapons, no suggestions. Dani works to slow her breathing, trying desperately to calm down. She'll have to attempt to talk to them. Her words have always been her best ammunition.

It's an epic long shot, but she has no other ideas. "Nico, please," she pointlessly tries again. He mutters something, isn't roused. Dani lets out a last deliberate breath, stands. As she crosses to the door, she works hard to compose her face into something other than panic.

The rain sets on her as soon as she cracks the door, the wind dragging loose strands of hair into her eyes. Having trouble believing she's actually doing this, Dani steps outside.

She keeps her posture open and nonthreatening, moving the fifteen feet toward the three men. Baldy's laughing when she gets closer. "Aw, we're interrupting, boys." His grin is too big for his face. "Your boyfriend send you out first while he finishes getting dressed?"

She prickles at this. But the emotion is swallowed an instant later when Baldy grabs her arm just above the elbow, pulling her closer. "Not a smart idea," he adds, the leer back on his lips. His breath is warm on her face as his eyes rake over her features. Dani forces herself not to look away.

"Careles! Got your woman out here!" he yells in the cabin's direction.

She tries to get her arm free, but his fingers tighten, pressing hard into muscle. Dani swallows, blinking against the rain. "I just want to try and resolve this," she says, her voice wavering only a little. "I know there's a history here, but –"

He yanks roughly on her arm and she's suddenly pressed against him. His lips brush her ear as she struggles to put space between them. "You have no idea about our history. And this _is _my resolution." She can't even get a feeling now for where the other two men are. He's everywhere, filling her senses. He has to be able to feel her heart thumping against his chest. "You're just a bonus."

She shudders when his lips find her neck. She has to lock her knees to keep her legs from folding under her.

"Boss -" one of the others speaks up. When Baldy lifts his head, she tries to imagine the rain washing clean her burning skin. He's still got hold of her arm, though, and when he turns back to see about the disruption, he swings her around too. She's amazed to see Nico standing there, just outside the cabin door.

He's leaning on the frame, hands in his pockets. He looks casual enough, but Dani suspects that the cabin may be doing most of the work in the business of holding him up. Even with half his face still swollen, his anger is clearly written there.

"I told you not to touch her."

His voice barely carries over the distance between them, but there's no mistaking the feeling. Baldy's grin widens, and he shoves Dani behind him into his man's arms. This new thug is smaller, his grip on her arm not as solid. But he's determined to hold her there, his eyes on the new unfolding drama.

"Nice of you to finally join us, Careles. We've got unfinished business."

"Crew looks a little light, McKay. Where are the rest of your boys?"

Baldy's smile falters. "You know damn well where they are. Jimmy might never walk right again. I owe you for that, too."

Dani watches the exchange, finding it difficult to believe that the man in front of them is the same as the one from the hours before. Though, even at this distance, she can see the tension in his body if she looks closely. It's plain to her that it's taking a lot of effort for him to appear this relaxed. She's pretty sure she's the only one who notices this. She hopes he has a plan.

"Let her go," Nico growls.

"Come and get her," McKay responds.

There's a brief standoff, a long moment in time. Nico flicks his attention to the other thug, the one not holding on to her. "Ortiz -" His voice dips lower, the rest of his sentence lost.

He's got the man's interest. "What?" Ortiz demands, moving nearer. Nico mouths something, still inaudible. Dani's worried that he's fading out again, having used up all of his strength. Ortiz may be thinking the same thing, judging by the smirk on his face as he closes in to Nico's space. Nico repeats himself, and this time Ortiz can apparently make it out.

Whatever he says causes Ortiz to swing a fist toward his face.

Nico ducks the punch, reaching behind himself for something just inside the door. His hand comes up holding one of the fire logs, in one fluid motion bringing it up to connect with the side of Ortiz's head. The other man goes down heavily at Nico's feet, out of the picture for now.

Ortiz may not be moving, but McKay is. Dani struggles to get out of her captor's grasp, but he's not letting go. Nico's got a tight grip on his ribs, trying to catch his breath. He straightens up in time to absorb McKay's weight as he's rushed by the other man.

They bounce off the cabin wall, wrestling to get the upper hand. Dani misses a lot of it, now fighting in earnest to get away from the man holding her. With the help of the rain, his fingers slip from her skin. She turns to run. He grabs her shoulder, intent on dragging her back.

Dani kicks out hard behind her, thanking her handful of kickboxing classes as she catches him solidly in the groin. He moans and starts to double over – Dani shocks both of them by bringing her clasped hands up under his chin. Distracted by his pain, he doesn't see it coming, and the hit snaps his head back. Off-balance, he tumbles to the ground. His temple finds a fortuitous rock; in the blur of action, she doesn't realize at first that he's now unconscious as well.

She glances toward Nico in time to see him take a swift punch to his right side. He crumples with a groan, McKay looming over him. Baldy's left-handed, it seems, which explains why the damage is concentrated on Nico's right. Dani wonders if these men are armed.

But before she can search the pockets of the man on the ground beside her – let alone try to decide if she'll be able to use said weapon should she find one – Nico makes a move, sweeping McKay's legs out from under him. Baldy joins him in the thick mud, each man battling to gain the upper hand. Nico too is left-handed at the moment, trained to fight ambidextrously if need be. Still, no training can completely compensate for a severely weakened body. Dani holds her breath when McKay wrenches himself on top.

Nico doesn't hesitate, and Dani's held breath rushes out when his left hand shoots upward to slam McKay in the throat. He falls off Nico, choking, unable to do anything else. Nico rolls the other way, curling in on himself and fighting for air.

Dani's foot almost slides out from under her as she hurries to him. The mud sucks at her legs as she goes down on her knees beside him; her eyes jump between the two men lying on the wet ground. Baldy's still incapacitated, but she wonders about for how long. Nico's stirring, trying to push himself up on shaky arms. He manages to get to his knees before he's forced to stop, hunched over and shaking, his head bowed.

Dani holds herself tightly; he's not the only one trembling. Her mind is having trouble focusing, grey matter mist drifting through her thoughts, dissolving them to wispy shreds. She doesn't move as Nico painfully crawls the few feet away to McKay's side, as she watches him dig awkwardly in his pockets and produce a zip tie. McKay's getting his bearings back. Nico thumps his head hard into the mud to keep him still.

It takes definite effort to get McKay's arms behind him and bound; by the time he's done, Nico can hardly straighten up. He leans heavily, his weight on the other man's trapped wrists, an arm stiff around his ribs. His back is to her. She tells herself she should move.

Now his head comes up, as if something has just occurred to him. "Dani –" He staggers to his feet, stumbling back to her to sink again into the mud. He's struggling for every breath, but he seems more concerned with checking her over. "Did they hurt you?"

She can barely hear him, and she jerks away involuntarily when he touches her arm. The scowl etched into his face manages to deepen. "What happened? Did they hurt you?" he repeats. He looks prepared to do battle with anyone at whom she points a finger.

"Nobody hurt me. I'm okay," She curses the tears threatening, burning behind her eyes. "Just scared. And wet. And tired."

The anger is oozing away, his gaze locked on her. The corner of his mouth quirks up the tinniest bit. "Yeah."

Nico coughs, turning away from her to spit something out into the darkness. Dani can see he doesn't have long before an inevitable collapse, even if he refuses to admit it. She doesn't doubt that he's bordering on pneumonia at this point. Lock-jawed, he tries to get to his feet. His body denies this, and he ends up again on his knees.

"Phone," he whispers, and Dani has to lean in to hear. "See if any… if…"

She gets the message, forcing herself up. The muscles in her legs protest. She digs through McKay's pockets at an odd angle, hoping he doesn't wake up while she's rummaging around. Her fingers brush against a cold rectangle, and she draws out the phone in triumph.

It turns out to be locked, but further searching proves that Ortiz is not as careful. She hands it over to Nico; he almost drops it. After some fumbling, he dials a number and holds the phone up to his ear.

"It's Careles," he says, his voice the straining of sound. "Alpha delta six four. Yes. Hiker's cabin. Sure."

His arm falls, the phone hitting the mud with a dull splat. He's deflating in front of her. Dani hopes his call means this whole thing is coming to an end. She wonders how long it will take for the person on the other end of the line to get here.

However long it is, it's not going to help anyone for them to wait out in the rain. Nico's not moving, his energy gone. Dani nudges him gently, bringing his attention back to her. "We should go inside," she says.

He looks at her, making her wonder if what she's saying is even getting through. Finally he nods heavily, shifting as he prepares to try and stand. Dani assists, ignoring the way his breath hitches with every straightening inch. They slowly stumble their way back through the open door, Dani gritting her teeth under his weight. They're both out of breath by the time they reach the cot.

He's not very aware of things, not protesting when she pushes him down into a supine position. His left arm comes up to cover his eyes. His words are a barely comprehensible wheeze.

"Don't let me fall asleep," he mumbles.

* * *

McClane enters the examination room just as the officers and their questions exit. "Santino. How are you? Clean bill of health?"

"I'm fine. Or I will be, once I get some dry clothes." Dani makes a face as she pulls her wet sweatshirt back on.

"That I can help with," he says. "There's a car waiting for you as soon as you're released."

Her tired brain wants to spin off into the indulgence of this promised fantasy of clean clothes and a bed, but she pulls herself together. "How's Nico? I want to see him first." She slides off the bed, looking up at the man beside her. "What room is he in?"

Connor's eyes dance away from hers, taking a long moment to work their way back. "He's not," he tells her. "Our boy checked himself out AMA after he gave his statement."

"What? But -"

He shrugs, holding up his hands to deflect her ire. "He's a grown man, Santino. He wanted a driver to take him back to the city, so I gave him one. My guess is he's gone back to his apartment. I'm sure he'll be fine."

"I'm not," she says to herself, chewing art her bottom lip.

And she has no real way of finding out. A quick stop back at her cabin to change clothes and collect her things reminds her that she's got Nico's cracked phone along with her own. Having no idea where he lives, she has her driver take her home. It isn't until a week later that she finally hears from him.

One morning, when she thinks she's alone in her house, she comes downstairs to find him standing in her kitchen. "Jesus, Nico!" She tells her racing heart to slow down. "Where have you been?"

He certainly looks better, most of the bruising on his face having disappeared. He's leaning against the wall, hands in his pockets, looking her over.

"How are you?" he asks, ignoring the question. His voice is stronger than it was before, but still not back to its usual strength.

"Me? I'm not the one who escaped from the hospital."

"Hardly an escape. They prescribed antibiotics and rest. I can do that from home."

There's a space between them now, back here in familiar surroundings. Nico coughs slightly, a wince slipping across his face. Dani pretends not to notice, busying herself with making the cup of coffee she'd come down here for. "Do you want something?" she asks, holding up her cup.

"No. Dani –"

He stops her with a hand on her upper arm. His grip isn't hard, but it's firm enough to grab all of her attention. She sets her coffee on the counter beside them.

Now that he has her focus, he seems uncharacteristically uncomfortable. He glances down at his shoes, around the kitchen, before meeting her eyes. But his look is intense when he does, two dark orbs emanating his sincerity.

"You should have never been in that situation," he says, his voice low. "I underestimated. It won't happen again."

He's blaming himself? A beat later, Dani realizes that _of course_ he is. "Nico, you _saved _us. Nothing that happened was your fault."

He scowls at this, shakes his head. She wants to keep on, to convince him of her words. But Nico's clearly done with the subject. He lets his arm fall to his side, straightening up; he doesn't step away from her, yet still the distance slips back. "I've taken care of the tracking program on your phone. McKay and his men have been dealt with. It's over."

Dani didn't understand how much she needed to hear this said aloud until it is. A tremor of relief runs through her, and she rests a hand on the counter for balance. "Thank you. For everything."

"Shouldn't have happened," he repeats, almost to himself. He's watching the steam come off her coffee.

She has the sudden urge to hug him; his body language tells her it would be unwelcome. Nico's not much of a hugger, after all. So instead she searches for something safe, something easy to break the silence now resting over them. "I have your phone," she remembers. "I'll go grab it."

He nods; she leaves the room, running up the stairs to her bedroom. The phone is where she left it when she got home, in the top drawer of her nightstand. She wraps her fingers around its cracked face, hit with a sudden sense memory of rain and wet wool. Taking a breath, she turns and heads back downstairs.

Unfortunately, though the phone was where she left it, Nico is not. In the five minutes she was gone, he's taken his opportunity to leave. Dani drops hi phone on her counter, picks up her coffee. She looks around her empty kitchen, her thoughts on the complexities of one Nico Careles.

end


End file.
